The police on February 23 (Friday) took into custody a Koyilandy native suspected of murdering Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader P.V. Sathyanathan, 62, during a temple festival at Peruvattur in Kozhikode district of Kerala on Thursday night.
The suspect, identified as Abhilash of Peruvattur village, is reportedly a former branch member of the CPI(M). He reportedly hacked Sathyanathan to death following some personal grudge.
Police sources said it was a planned attack as the assailant reached the spot with an axe. He attacked the CPI(M) leader during a music event held as part of the annual festival at Sree Cheriyappuram Paradevatha temple.
Senior police officers, including Inspector General of Police (North Zone) K. Sethu Raman and District Police Chief (Kozhikode rural) Arvind Sukumar, reached the spot within a few hours after the incident.
CPI(M) hartal
Condemning the incident, the CPI(M) on Friday called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Koyilandy. All shops and commercial establishments were found closed following the hartal call. Senior CPI(M) leaders and people’s representatives visited the area to ensure peace and prevent further unrest.
Police sources said the man in their custody has admitted to the crime and his arrest would be recorded soon. He was found to have involvement in several other criminal cases in Koyilandy and surrounding areas.
He had also worked as a driver for one of the former chairpersons of Koyilandy municipality, they said.
